Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission
Abstract The survival strategies of extremophilic organisms in terrestrially stressed locations and habitats are critically dependent on the production of protective chemicals in response to desiccation, low wavelength radiation insolation, temperature and the availability of nutrients. The adaptati...
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crcambridgeupr:10.1017/s1473550412000201 2023-05-15T14:07:26+02:00 Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission Edwards, Howell G.M. Hutchinson, Ian B. Ingley, Richard 2012 http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550412000201 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550412000201 en eng Cambridge University Press (CUP) https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms International Journal of Astrobiology volume 11, issue 4, page 269-278 ISSN 1473-5504 1475-3006 Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics journal-article 2012 crcambridgeupr https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550412000201 2023-02-24T07:12:07Z Abstract The survival strategies of extremophilic organisms in terrestrially stressed locations and habitats are critically dependent on the production of protective chemicals in response to desiccation, low wavelength radiation insolation, temperature and the availability of nutrients. The adaptation of life to these harsh prevailing conditions involves the control of the substratal geology; the interaction between the rock and the organisms is critical and the biological modification of the geological matrix plays a very significant role in the overall survival strategy. Identification of these biological and biogeological chemical molecular signatures in the geological record is necessary for the recognition of the presence of extinct or extant life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial scenarios. Raman spectroscopic techniques have been identified as valuable instrumentation for the detection of life extra-terrestrially because of the use of non-invasive laser-based excitation of organic and inorganic molecules, and molecular ions with high discrimination characteristics; the interactions effected between biological organisms and their environments are detectable through the molecular entities produced at the interfaces, for which the vibrational spectroscopic band signatures are unique. A very important attribute of Raman spectroscopy is the acquisition of molecular experimental data non-destructively without the need for chemical or mechanical pre-treatment of the specimen; this has been a major factor in the proposal for the adoption of Raman instrumentation on robotic landers and rovers for planetary exploration, particularly for the forthcoming European Space Agency (ESA)/National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ExoMars mission. In this paper, the merits of using Raman spectroscopy for the recognition of key molecular biosignatures from several terrestrial extremophile specimens will be illustrated. The data and specimens used in this presentation have been acquired from Arctic and Antarctic ... Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarc* Antarctic Arctic Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) Antarctic Arctic International Journal of Astrobiology 11 4 269 278 |
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Open Polar |
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Cambridge University Press (via Crossref) |
op_collection_id |
crcambridgeupr |
language |
English |
topic |
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
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Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics Edwards, Howell G.M. Hutchinson, Ian B. Ingley, Richard Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission |
topic_facet |
Earth and Planetary Sciences (miscellaneous) Space and Planetary Science Physics and Astronomy (miscellaneous) Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics |
description |
Abstract The survival strategies of extremophilic organisms in terrestrially stressed locations and habitats are critically dependent on the production of protective chemicals in response to desiccation, low wavelength radiation insolation, temperature and the availability of nutrients. The adaptation of life to these harsh prevailing conditions involves the control of the substratal geology; the interaction between the rock and the organisms is critical and the biological modification of the geological matrix plays a very significant role in the overall survival strategy. Identification of these biological and biogeological chemical molecular signatures in the geological record is necessary for the recognition of the presence of extinct or extant life in terrestrial and extraterrestrial scenarios. Raman spectroscopic techniques have been identified as valuable instrumentation for the detection of life extra-terrestrially because of the use of non-invasive laser-based excitation of organic and inorganic molecules, and molecular ions with high discrimination characteristics; the interactions effected between biological organisms and their environments are detectable through the molecular entities produced at the interfaces, for which the vibrational spectroscopic band signatures are unique. A very important attribute of Raman spectroscopy is the acquisition of molecular experimental data non-destructively without the need for chemical or mechanical pre-treatment of the specimen; this has been a major factor in the proposal for the adoption of Raman instrumentation on robotic landers and rovers for planetary exploration, particularly for the forthcoming European Space Agency (ESA)/National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) ExoMars mission. In this paper, the merits of using Raman spectroscopy for the recognition of key molecular biosignatures from several terrestrial extremophile specimens will be illustrated. The data and specimens used in this presentation have been acquired from Arctic and Antarctic ... |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Edwards, Howell G.M. Hutchinson, Ian B. Ingley, Richard |
author_facet |
Edwards, Howell G.M. Hutchinson, Ian B. Ingley, Richard |
author_sort |
Edwards, Howell G.M. |
title |
Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission |
title_short |
Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission |
title_full |
Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission |
title_fullStr |
Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission |
title_full_unstemmed |
Raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the ExoMars Mission |
title_sort |
raman spectroscopy and the search for life signatures in the exomars mission |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press (CUP) |
publishDate |
2012 |
url |
http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/s1473550412000201 https://www.cambridge.org/core/services/aop-cambridge-core/content/view/S1473550412000201 |
geographic |
Antarctic Arctic |
geographic_facet |
Antarctic Arctic |
genre |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic |
genre_facet |
Antarc* Antarctic Arctic |
op_source |
International Journal of Astrobiology volume 11, issue 4, page 269-278 ISSN 1473-5504 1475-3006 |
op_rights |
https://www.cambridge.org/core/terms |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/s1473550412000201 |
container_title |
International Journal of Astrobiology |
container_volume |
11 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
269 |
op_container_end_page |
278 |
_version_ |
1766279331443638272 |